Metal Music Reviews from Sinkadotentree

For my money this one and the next one "Epica" are very close when it comes to my enjoyment factor. "Black Halo" remains my favourite from them though. I'm not a big Power-Metal fan but KAMELOT and SYMPHONY X hit the spot most of the time when i'm in that mood. Some of the highlights for me begin with "Forever" an uptempo, galloping number. "Wings Of Despair" continues with the hard hitting style. "The Light I Shine On You" is a crunchy tune that does contrast the heavy and lighter sections well. Despite "Temples Of Gold" being a laid back tune I do like it a lot. The final section to the "Elizabeth" suite kills. A fine effort and not a bad place to start for someone wanting to check these guys out.

"Epica" is a concept album based loosely on Goethe's "Faust". We get a ton of guests helping out with orchestration, choirs and some obscure instruments all to bring this story alive, lots of samples as well. The band EPICA named themselves after this album and their female singer has since guested on KAMELOT recordings. While i'm not big on concept albums there is plenty here to satisfy my tastes in Metal. The album was recorded, mixed and mastered in Germany. I have to mention "Descent Of The Arcangel" which featrues a killer guitar solo from guest Luca Turilli the guitarist for RHAPSODY. Lots of highlights though making this an album that Power-Metal fans should check out.

It is a very rare occurence that a band will release an album long after their supposed prime and hit one out of the park. This is my favourite JUDAS PRIEST record. When I think of this band I think of Halford's incredible vocals and the twin lead guitars of Tipton and Downing, but for the first time in my opinion they have a drummer who matches the skills of the three I just mentioned. Scott Travis the former drummer for RACER X is fantastic and the band is the complete package here. Intense and powerful are two words that keep coming to mind while listening to this beast. I still remember seeing the video for the title track back in the early nineties and being blown away by the sheer intensity. In my opinion this was the best album released in 1990, and obviously a must for Metal fans out there.

Many PRIEST fans rate this one and the previous album "Screaming For Vengence" fairly evenly. They are in the same style, released two years apart. I prefer this one over "Screaming..." despite it not having that big hit("You've Got Another Thing Coming"). By the way I have this on a two on one compilation with "Sad Wings Of Destiny" that was released in 1999. "Freewheel Burning" is the perfect track to open with as it's uptempo and on fire throughout. "Jawbreaker" doesn't ease up on the gas pedal much as they rip through another great track. They slow it down with "Rock Hard Ride Free" which I really like. It sounds like the mid-eighties when I listen to this. "The Sentinel" might be the best track on here, in fact the first half of this record is incredible. "Love Bites" is catchy with an excellent instrumental section. "Eat Me Alive" is intense. "Some Heads Are Going To Roll" is a favourite of mine, again it just sounds like the mid-eighties when listening to this track. Great song ! "Night Comes Down" is laid back and a refreshing change at this point. The last two songs are my least favs but both are short. So for me this album is a step up from "Screaming For Vengence" and worthy of 4 stars.

This is my least favourite studio album by KATATONIA although I still haven't heard their debut. For me it's a definite step down from the previous album "Discouraged Ones" where they had changed their style. This is in the same vein but more commercial sounding. Mind you the cover art from Travis Smith is outstanding. It starts off really well with "For My Demons" a top three for me. Great sound when it kicks in and I like the contrasts. The next two tracks are too catchy for me. "Right Into The Bliss" is another top three while honourable mentions go to "Strained" and "A Darknesss Coming", both are excellent. "Black Session" is my final top three. I was reminded of THE CURE at times mainly because of Jonas' vocals on a couple of songs. A good album but this is one record I can take or leave.

After the European tour for "Brave Murder Day" the attempts the band made for writing material for the next album failed big time. Stagnation had set in plus Jonas' vocals were at the point that he couldn't perform his growls. They knew they couldn't keep Akerfeldt to do this job permanently so the decision was made to change their style. Gone were the growls along with the second lead guitar. They also dropped the double bass drumming and their pentagram tinged logo. They set the course for new waters as it were, although if you've heard "Day" from Brave Murder Day" you would know what to expect with "Discouraged Ones". Man I love this album. There are so many amazing tracks on here but the first three really blow me away. "I Break" has this nice and heavy but melodic intro as the vocals join in. This is almost upbeat(haha). "Stalemate" is heavier and I like the hauntingly sung chorus. "Deadhouse" might be the best one on here. That repetitive grinding rhythm is so good. It's haunting with piano 3 1/2 minutes in before it kicks back in. "Cold Ways" is fantastic. A good rocking tune. "Gone" reminds me of ANATHEMA around the "Judgment" album. Very gothic and emotional. "Last Resort" is a top four reminding me again of ANATHEMA but this is more uptempo than "Gone". "Saw You Drown" is another fav of mine. We get an instrumental called ahem... "Instrumental" which is very good. Just a great album that might be closer to 4.5 stars.

I have to agree with Colt's rating here. Now I must admit I didn't own this one back in the day which may have an affect on my feelings towards it. To me it comes off as a commercial sounding record just not nearly as good as "British Steel". Things start off really good with "The Hellion / Electric Eye" and "Riding On The Wind" but for me it goes downhill from there quickly. I dont know why but "Bloodstone" and "(Take These) Chains" both annoy me. "Pain And Pleasure" is a little better then we get the uptempo title track which is good. "You've Got Another Thing Coming" is really good but I am tired of it. The final two tracks are okay. I just don't feel it with this one, and I know i'm in the minority as most rate this highly.

This was KATATONIA's second studio album released in 1996. Many of their fans still count this one as their favourite. All you have to do is look on the RYM site to see that it's their highest rated studio album on there. Mikael Akerfeldt a good friend of Jonas (vocals, drums) adds his harsh vocals to this disc. For me this is a depressing album and not in a good way. I love dark and melancholic music because I find it beautiful, but this record really does bring me down. I'm not sure if it's simply because of the growly vocals because the song "Day" which doesn't have those style of vocals is by far my favourite song on here. The opening 10 plus minute "Brave" is almost trance-like with growly vocals throughout. Obviously i'm in the minority with my feelings towards this album so take it with a grain of salt for sure. A good album regardless.

1980 was an amazing year for me personally and that included the music that came out that year as well. Being someone who was into that heavier style of music, this was certainly essential listening for me back then. Many Metal fans "pan" this one for being too commercial, so I was really looking forward to playing this again, as it's been over 20 years since I have done so. Call it nostalgia or simply my taste in Metal but I still love this record and rate it along with "Sad Wings Of Destiny" as their best two albums up to this point. For me it's headbanging time almost from beginning to end with this record. The uptempo and relentless "Rapid Fire" to start is followed by the slower "Metal Gods" that has such a good rhythm to it. Love "Breaking The Law" even if it's only 2 1/2 minutes long. "Grinder" is simply that, a grinding headbanging tune. "United" is my least favourite on here but "You Don't Have To Be Old To Be Wise" makes up for it. This reminds me of Bonn led AC/DC for some reason. "Living After Midnight" always got me going back in the day. "I took the city about 1am loaded, loaded". Classic stuff. "The Rage" is interesting with almost a reggae beat to it. THE POLICE did influence a lot of bands including RUSH. It all ends with a kick ass tune called "Steeler". I love this album and it will always remind me of my rebellious youth.

Studio album number 15 for these guys and they haven't missed a beat. This kind of reminds me of RUSH and their latest as both bands have drifted into proggier waters late in their careers. And hey why not ? It's not like either band needs the money, so they are making the music that brings THEM pleasure...and a lot of the fans too. Of course with both band's latest recordings there are many long time fans who don't like the directions they've taken. My only two complaints about this latest MAIDEN offering is the length of it and that it's fairly wordy. Despite those minor issues this record brings me a lot of joy. Amazing cover art here too by the way. Tough to pick out the highlights because this album is very consistant but i'll start with the opening track "Satellite 15...The Final Frontier". That industrial sounding intro is incredible then Bruce comes in as we get told the beginning of this story. "El Dorado" simply kicks ass. The first two songs really work well together. "Isle Of Avalon" sounds so god to start as Dickinson's reserved vocals join in. It kicks in around 3 minutes. Nice. "Starblind" sounds incredible when they kick in before a minute. This album has taken me much longer to appreciate than past MAIDEN records but that's not a bad thing at all.

This was JUDAS PRIEST's first live album recorded during their "Killing Machine" tour of Japan in 1979. This was also the first JUDAS PRIEST album I bought, and it got plenty of air time as I drove around the "beaches" back in 1980. Four of the original 9 tracks are from the "Sad Wings Of Destiny" record which is a little surprising only because usually the album they are on tour for gets the bulk of the attention. We do get "The Green Malalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown" and "Running Wild" from "Killing Machine" though, along with three of the four bonus tracks. We get "Sinner" and "Diamonds And Rust" from "Sin After Sin" while "Exciter" is from "Stained Glass". My two faourite tracks are "The Green Malalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown)" and "Victim Of Changes". The sound quality of this live album is excellent and for me it was a great place to start.

For me this is an improvement over "Dance of Death" the previous album. Especially the cover art which more than makes up for the lame cover of "Dance Of Death". Highlights for me are first of all the track "Brighter Than A Thousand Suns". Now the two songs before it are great as well but this one has some killer sections in it. I like they way they contrast the heavy parts with the more laid back ones. And check out Harris on bass ! Another highlight is "Lord Of Light" which starts off slowly before all hell breaks loose. Great track ! My other top three is "The Legacy" which is relaxed early on before that excellent rhythm section comes to the fore as it picks up. There are many highlights on this record and I like they way they mix things up. An impressive release.

I do prefer this to the previous album "Stained Glass" which most won't agree with. Yes this is the start of a more commercial sound but I really dig this record. "Delivering The Goods" is a killer opener. It's like the guitar is grinding away throughout then we get a ripping solo 2 minutes in. Great track ! "Rock Forever" also features those grinding gutar melodies throughout but it's more melancholic. I like it. "Evening Star" opens with some atmosphere as intricate guitar then reserved vocals join in. It picks up when the chorus arrives. Love the mournful guitar solo before 2 1/2 minutes as it all settles back once again. "Hell Bent For Leather" has been a long time favourite of mine. An uptempo rocker if there ever was one. It might be the shortest song on here but it rocks the hardest. "Take On The World" is okay. It has an anthem feel to it and isn't one of my favs that's for sure. "Burnin' Up" is better once it gets going. "The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown)" was written by Peter Green. he also wrote "Black magic Woman" that SANTANA made famous. PRIEST kill this one and it's my favourite track on here. Head banging time ! "Killing Machine" seems stripped down but I like it. "Running Wild" sounds great to start with the aggressive guitar as Halford comes in. "Before The Dawn" is ballad-like while "Evil Fantasies" is a bit of a groaner for me. Testosterone levels are over-flowing here. Yes this is a great album overall and it paved the way for "British Steel".

Probably the worst cover art of all the MAIDEN studio albums but at least the music impresses. They continue along the same path as the comeback album "Brave New World" but this just isn't nearly as good in my opinion. "Wildest Dreams" doesn't exactly start off on the right foot considering it's my least favourite track but it's still good. "Rainmaker" has some killer groundwork as the bass and drums impress and Bruce sings his heart out. "No More Lies" starts off pastoral before building. Great 2 minute instrumental section before it ends as it began. "Montsegur" is about a civilization from the Middle Ages. Holy crap this is heavey to start. Thunderous rhythm section here. The title track is the longest at over 8 1/2 minutes. This is my favourite tune with Bruce telling us a story. "Gates Of Tomorrow" opens with some cool sounding guitar before everyone eventually joins in. "New Frontier" is such a good hard hitting track while "Paschendale" reminds me of that classic MAIDEN sound. Killer tune about a WWI battle. "Face In The Sand" builds until we get some ground shaking drums and bass. Check out the blistering guitar later. "The Age Of Innocence" is beautiful to start before it kicks in around a minute. Nice. "Journeyman" doesn't even sound like them with the orchestral bits and lighter sound. Interesting though. So an excellent album that's well worth 4 stars in my books.

I'm in the minority here but i much prefer the previous album "Sin After Sin" to this 1978 release. I remember the first time i heard "Sin After Sin", i just loved how it sounded. It was quite the oposite for this one where it just didn't "sound" good to me. Now of course there are some excellent tracks here but overall i can't give the fourth star. I feel the drumming is much better too on "Sin After Sin". Highlights for me are first of all the opening track "Exciter" which is an uptempo rocker. Some killer guitar along with some great screams from Halford. "Better By You, Better Than Me" has this excellent riff throughout and is another favourite. "Beyond The Realms Of Death" rounds out my top three. It starts off laid back with reserved vocals before turning intense and these contrasts continue. A good album but one that has failed to grab me like their previous two recordings for some reason.

After four very average albums in the nineties IRON MAIDEN started a new decade in style. Of course the return of Dickinson and Smith has a lot to do with how great this album sounds. Love the album cover too, my favorite from them. My cd cover has all kinds of smudges on it because i got to know this really well one year down in Florida, so yeah lots of finger prints that were covered in sun-tan lotion. "The Wicker Man" starts the album off with plenty of heaviness as Bruce joins the fray. Great chorus and i like the vocal melodies late to end it. "Ghost Of The Navigator" is even better in my opinion. The lyrics and rhythm section shine here. Head banging time ! I just can't say enough about this one. "Brave New World" is my favourite song on here. The relaxed beginning with reserved vocals are all blown away 1 1/2 minutes in. Nice ! Contrasts will continue in this amazing tune. "Blood Brothers" has this almost waltz-like rhythm and some orchestration that comes and goes. An interesting track. "The Mercenary" is balls to the wall all the way. An uptempo burner except on the chorus. "Dream Of Mirrors" is the longest tune at almost 9 1/2 minutes. A cool tune but i'm not a fan of the intro. The rest is a real trip though. "The Fallen Angel" kicks ass with those earth moving bass lines and pounding drums. "The Nomad" is a top three track. How freaking good does this sound ! Man ! "Out Of The Silent Planet" is another killer tune. Lots of tempo shifts along with the galloping rhythm. Great instrumental section 4 minutes in as well. "The Thin Line Between Love & Hate" has this excellent heavy intro. The vocals are fairly fast paced. Just a fantastic return to form by the band. So impressive.

"Sad Wings Of Destiny" was a tough act to follow but i think they did very well with the 1977 release "Sin After Sin". And it's cool that Simon Phillips is on drums here. The guy can play and he's been involved with some excellent projects over the years including among others 801 and Gary Boyle's classic record "The Dancer". Things get started with "Sinner" with that low end riffing sound as Halford sings over top. The chorus kills ! Check out the incredible instrumental section starting before 3 minutes that lasts well over a minute. Nice. "Diamonds And Rust" a Joan Baez cover and i've never heard the original but i've known this song for a long time from their live album. A feel good tune. "Starbreaker" opens with drums before the guitars and bass kick in. We're grooving now as Halford joins in. Good tune. "Last Rose Of Summer" is out of left field isn't it ? A ballad-like song that is well done but not what you'd expect on a PRIEST record. "Let Us Pray / Call For The Priest" is good once it kicks into that uptempo sound. "Raw Deal" sounds great early with that guitar then the rest of the band starts to join in. I like this one a lot. "Here Come The Tears" is laid back but i like the guitar solo part way through that goes on and on. "Dissident Agressor" was later covered by SLAYER and is a definite highlight for me. This one kicks some ass for almost 3 minutes. So a solid record for sure and worth the four stars in my opinion.

This is apparently a concept album about a young prophet who predicts the destruction of his village but is ignored when he warns everyone. He would go insane and commit suicide. At this point in the band's career i don't think they were ever more popular. Hey to make a concept album and have your album go straight to number one on the charts must have made them feel they could do no wrong. Sadly it all changed after this recording and the band wouldn't regain it's form until the year 2000(12 years later) with "Brave New World". My favourite song is the title track but man this is full of fantastic tunes. Much has been made about how this is their most progressive album and i have to agree. This is the fourth masterpiece by them in a row in my opinion but they would fall off of the mountain top pretty quickly after this. While the eighties was a great decade for MAIDEN fans the reverse was true for the nineties. A must-have album !

The first time i remember hearing about JUDAS PRIEST was around 1979 when i went to a friend's party. I was walking down the stairs to the basememnt of his parent's house who were away when i could hear this amazing music. I asked who it was and he said JUDAS PRIEST. I promptly went out and found "Unleashed In The East" of which almost half of the tracks were from this very influential 1976 album. "Victim Of Changes" is my favourite. Man Halford can scream and he sounds incredib;e on this track. "The Ripper" makes me smile as i can imagine Bonn Scott handling this one. Great track ! "Dream Deceiber" is interesting as the focus is on Halford's laid back vocals. A nice long and lazy guitar solo comes in late. "Deceiber" is where they kick it up a notch. Check out the high pitched vocals later on. "Prelude" reminds me of Elton John with the piano and sound. I'm thinking "Funeral For A Friend". "Tyrant" blows that all to hell fairly quickly though. Nice rhythm section here, especially the bass. "Genoicide" is a good rocker while "Epataph" is for me a let down, and those vocal harmonies remind me of QUEEN. Just not a fan. "Island Of Domination" ends it. I just can't pull the trigger on 5 stars but certainly this is an influential album that kicks some ass.

Two years after their debut HOST are back but this would be their final studio album. Wholesale changes too as only the vocalist and bass player are back. So we don't get two guitarists on this one but the new guitar player is a virtuoso and he also plays flute. He also wrote all the songs except the instrumental. Again the singing is in Norweigian and while i'd point to the guitar playing as the highlight, the new keyboardist and drummer are both fantastic ! My favourite track is "Nattergalen" because it's such a powerful beast. We also get a flute solo followed by some excellent organ then a guitar solo that's lights out. This took a while to grow on me but it's turned into a solid 4 stars. Great band !

The eighties of course were a great time to be an IRON MAIDEN fan and "Somewhere In Time" is a perfect example of why this was so. Released in 1986 and i'll agree it's not as good as "Powerslave" but it works regardless. What i like about it is how melodic and reflective it is. I can really relate to this one looking back at the first half of the eighties as the band seemed to be doing with "Wasted Years".It's my favourite song on here, very uplifting. The two songs surrounding it "Caught Somewhere" and "Sea Of Madness" are almost as good and i like the heaviness of the latter track. "Heaven Can Wait" is my least favourite, especially the chorus. "The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner" is one i can relate to having been one for years. Just getting back into it by the way after a couple of years off. Check out the bass and drums to start "Stranger In A Starnge Land". Nice heavy sound here. Love this one. Lots of snow and ice around here these days. "De Ja Vu" is atmospheric to start but it kicks into an uptempo tune quickly. "Alexander The Great" is the closer and the longest track on here. This one builds quickly as well. Great tune ! Five stars from this fanboy.

I never cease to be impressed with this album everytime i spin it. HOST were a very influencial band from Norway who play a heavy guitar driven style of music and they sing in their native language. This five piece band actually reminds me of SBB a lot and the keyboardist also at times is the second lead guitarist and he also plays clavinet and mini-moog besides a variety of keyboards of course(a talented man). A lot of people mention the IRON MAIDEN flavour which to me is heard in the tone of one of the guitars, as well as the Harris-like upfront bass. There are dual lead guitars at times as well. And i have to mention the killer drumming throughout. I like the grainy looking cover art which was a photo taken in the fall not so surprisingly since HOST means "autumn" in their language. This is a tough one to track down these days i understand but anyone into Proto-Metal should not hesitate if you come across this gem.

It's not surprising that this is the highest rated MAIDEN album on here or on the RYM site. And while "Piece Of Mind" is my sentimental choice as my favourite i must admit this kicks ass from beginning to end unlike any album i have heard. In other words if i owned this back when i owned "Piece Of Mind" i have no doubt this would be my favourite. "Aces High" is about WWII fighter pilots and it plays out with a furious pace. This was released as a single along with the next track "Two Minutes To Midnight" which i like even better. This one is about the threat of nucleur war. "Losfer Words" is a creative way of saying this is an instrumental and the only one on the album. Man this is one intense track. Harris is digging deep on this one and i love the guitar work on the second half. "Flash Of The Blade" is freaking amazing. Check out the guitar melodies. It turns heavier and the vocals join in. "The Duellist" has such a killer rhythm section and check out the guitar 3 minutes in. "Back In The Village" is an uptempo barn burner that sounds even better 3 minutes in. "Powerslave" is heavier with theatrical vocals of Dickinson to start. I like the calm after 2 1/2 minutes. So good ! Then it gets even better when it builds with ripping guitar. "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner" is the 13 1/2 minute epic. Love that galloping rhythm as the vocals join in. This song is such a trip especially when we get that calm 5 minutes in with spoken words. Such a proggy track and you can hear the creaking of the ship. It kicks back in around 7 1/2 minutes and builds. It's SABBATH-like 9 minutes in. Simply amazing ! Easily 5 stars and one of the best Metal albums out there.

Well i must admit i didn't expect INDUKTI's followup to "SUSAR" to be it's equal let alone to like it even better. Man this is a beast though as they have become meaner and heavier on this their sophomore recording. On "SUSAR" we had RIVERSIDE's Mariusz Duda doing the vocals, here we get three guest vocalists helping out including Nils from SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM on the second track "Tusan Homichi Tuvota". This is such a cool tune, especially the lyrics as we are told the story of this hawk who has been killing the chickens and rabbits. This mouse is prepared to take him on though. Great track ! The opener "Sansara" is a heavy instrumental. "Sunken Bell" is a short atmospheric piece with percussion. "And Who's God Now ?!..." has guest vocals from Maciej Taff who also wrote this song. Love his screaming. All hell breaks loose at the start of "Indukted" and while it does settle back it does stay heavy. "Aemaet" opens with distorted guitar and slicing violin as the drums and heaviness kick in. Intense ! What a great instrumental ! "Nemesis Voices" is the other track with vocals. Michael Luginbuehl is the singer and composer here. Another heavy assault for the senses. "Ninth Wave" is the longest track at 11 1/2 minutes and my favourite, which is saying something considering how amazing the music has been up until this final song. It's pastoral at first with the sound of waves and seagulls then the trumpet comes in and i must say it sounds brilliant throughout this song. The heaviness kicks in hard before 4 minutes. So good ! It does settle back and the violin joins in. How good is this 8 minutes in !? Kicking ass people. Waves and seagulls end it. What a ride ! Nothing less than 5 stars will do.

This is my favourite IRON MAIDEN record although a lot of that i'm sure has to do with it being the first MAIDEN album i bought. Man this has to be one of my top five when it comes to the most played albums of my life. I can't explain it but i felt almost addicted to one and played it as loud as i could back in the day. While the previous record is usually rated higher than this one i feel this is a step up and the first recording of theirs to have that classic MAIDEN sound all the way through. The Punk vibe that was still there but fading away on "Number Of The Beast" is gone here and we also get that classic lineup as Niko is behind the kit for them for the first time. I should also mention i saw them on this tour back in 1983 in Toronto and i've never been so wired for a concert in my life, and believe me i was wired for almost all concerts back then. Listening to this cd today reveals a band who was trying to mix it up a bit as we get a lot of variety. Still it's those classic numbers that still impress me to this day. In fact you can include the first five songs in that statement. Great album cover as well. This album would be the start of four straight masterpieces. Hey if you were a MAIDEN fan back in the eighties then you can't say that decade was that bad can you ?

INDUKTI have to be my favourite band out of Poland. For me both albums they've released are essential for Metal fans. This is the debut released in 2005. Cool that RIVERSIDE vocalist Mariusz Duda does the vocal parts. Like RIVERSIDE they contrast the heavy and atmospheric sections very well. One big difference is the violin which i really like. "Freder" is a great example of the contrasts i was talking about. The harp early on and mellow mood are soon blown away by heaviness with the violin playing over top. Great track ! "Cold Inside...I" is laid back with Duda on vocals. It does build but it never lets loose. "No. 11812" is an instrumental that is intense and one of my favourite tracks. Ripping guitar and lots of bombast later. "Shade" is trippy and ethnic sounding with vocals. Some heaviness too with violin over top. "Uluru" is a crushing track with outfront bass and drums. "No. 11811" is another killer instrumental while "...And Weak II" ends the album in style. This is dark with lots of intesity. The record ends just like it began with harp. It's really a toss up as to which is my favourite album from 2005, this one or "Frances The Mute".

The music itself is more melodic and streamlined than their first two records but having the operatic vocals of Bruce Dickinson certainly is the biggest change from their earlier sound. I saw this band in Toronto on their "Piece Of Mind" tour and i was blown away by all the people that came who were clearly into Punk. Back then i hadn't heard the first two albums so i had no idea that this band did appeal to the Punk rockers still in existence in 1983. I do feel that this is an upgrade over their first two albums but not by much. The first song to impress me is "Children Of The Damned" where they slow it down after the uptempo "Invaders". They slow it down sure but this is powerful at the same time. Burr is fantastic on the drum kit. "The Prisoner" is a heavy but straightforward track. "22 Acacia Avenue" is one of my favourites. Love the riffing ! The title track opens with spoken words that quote a section of Revelation chapter 13. Then the riffage and vocals kick in and build. How good is this after 1 1/2 minutes ! "666 the number of the beast...". Absolutley killing it ! Amazing tune ! "Run To The Hills" like the title track helped put this band on the world map. Love when it kicks in and they start to gallop and Bruce cries "Run to the hills, run for your lives !". "Gangland" like the opener is an uptempo barn burner. "Total Eclipse" has a good low end sound to it. "Hallowed Be Thy Name" takes a minute to get going but then lookout ! Great sound here as they start to gallop. So an upgrade over the first two but it would be "Piece Of Mind" the next one that would turn me into a life long fan.

This was IN THE WOODS... third and last studio album released in 1999. Man i love the mood these guys(and Synne) create in their music. That heavy and melancholic style that is dark and depressing. This one does come across as being more experimental than "Omnio" and it has grown to become for me as good as "Omnio". "Cell" is an incredible ride with Synne's vocals and that dark and brooding soundscape including strings at times. Intense. "Vanish In The Absence Of Truth" is a slow and lava-like tune as the low end guitars grind away and Transit comes in with his vocals. So good ! A top three. "Basememnt Corridors" is strange in stereo indeed. An atmospheric track with Synne's eerie vocals. This is like something out of a Horror movie. "Ion" is almost doom-like and when it kicks in after 2 minutes it's pure bliss. The rest of the album is killer. "Generally More Worried Than Married" is a top three as well.This is the longest track at almost 9 minutes. "Path Of The Righteous" is very bass heavy, in fact my speakers are vibrating. I love when it picks up with male vocals after 1 1/2 minutes. "Dead Man's Creek" continues the heaviness. A haunting calm with strings after 3 minutes then it kicks in again but not as heavy and with female vocals this time. Amazing ! How good is the beginning of "Titan Transcendence" ! Favourite part of the album for me that lasts over 1 1/2 minutes. "By The Banks Of Pandemonium" begins with Transit saying "Let's get this monster rolling". Another dark, slow and heavy tune and my final top three. Obviously i love this band's style and sound and highly recommend either this album or their "Omnio" recording.

This was the first album released by JUDAS PREIST's frontman Rob Halford under the band name HALFORD. The only band member i know besides Halford is drummer Bobby Jarzombek who has played with SPASTIC INK and ARCH/MATHEOS and is the present FATES WARNING drummer. This is such a great record though with Halford just killing it on vocals with those amazing high pitched screams along with his powerful singing voice. The big thing though is that we get a bunch of really good songs here for him to show-case his voice. This record kicks ass ! The opening title track almost makes my hair standup as he at first sings the word "Resurrection" in a reserved manner, then he screams that word. All hell then breaks out as Halford lets it rip. Killer ! "Made In Hell" is like a history lesson from Halford as he sings about the birth of Heavy Metal with words like "From memories of 68 when the wizard shook the world" of course a reference to BLACK SABBATH and then later "From Jazz and electricity and good old southern blues". The lyrics are really interesting to read throughout this track as Halford relays his personal history with Metal. He sings "I took the scream around the world from London to LA, unleashed in downtown Tokyo blew Godzilla away". It's an uptempo rocker. "Locked And Loaded" is a good heavy riff driven tune. "Night Fall" is nice and heavy as well with a METALLICA vibe. "Silent Screams" might be my favourite on the album. He sings in a laid back way early but then eventually erupts as contrasts continue. Love this one ! "The One You Love To Hate" features Bruce Dickinson on vocals along with Halford which for me is like a dream come true. The Producer Roy Z did Bruce's solo album and brought these two legends together. The last half of the album is a little inconsistant but there's certainly enough here to give the 4 stars. "Twist" is a cool tune. Yeah this is a huge comeback album for Halford.

The Botteri brothers and Synne would go on to become part of GREEN CARNATION's debut and both of these albums are dark, atmospheric, heavy, melancholic and beautiful all at once. I will never fail to sit in wonder as i listen to these two records. Both are elevated beyond the music for me. "Omnio" has a string quartet helping out on four tracks. "Weeping Willow" is my favourite track on here. I just love the guitar early on and after 8 minutes.And it's the only track with keyboards on it. Then there's the 26 minute "Omnio" suite to close the album which is a trip in itself. An emotional masterpiece !

This would be Adrian Smith's first album with the band and he and Dave Murray would lead IRON MAIDEN's dual lead guitar attack for many years. Also this would be Martin Birch's first time at being their Producer. In spite of all of these positive things i still feel the debut is better. We continue to get that Punk vibe with this sophomore record. Like the debut we get a great stretch of music in the middle of the album although i would list the second song "Wrathchild" as one of my favs as well. But from "Genghis Khan" through to "Prodigal Son" we get some of the album's best music. I would especially mention "Prodigal Son" because it's different from the rest and it's also the longest at over 6 minutes. A good album for sure but this is the perfect time for a shakeup and the human siren was about to arrive.

Many years ago this long haired guy came into my store and i happened to have "Ace Of Spades" on by MOTORHEAD. He was pleasantly surprised and we got talking about Metal bands which led us to IRON MAIDEN when he claimed that their debut was his favourite album by them and that Paul Di'Anno was his favourite MAIDEN singer.Well i had to confess that i'd never heard the debut or Paul sing before. I set out to change that and while i don't agree with him i must admit their debut is a lot better than i thought it would be. Man there is some awesome tracks on here including "Remember Tomorrow" which sounds different from the rest with the atmosphere and reserved vocals.Some good contrasts on this one too with the heavy sections. "Phantom Of The Opera" is where i first hear what would become their signature sound with that galloping rhythm. "Transylvania" is a top three and is an instrumental while "Strange World" is the other track that really impresses with that atmosphere and beautiful guitar work. A great album and a solid 4 stars for me.

Very tempting to give this 5 stars because they are my favourite Metal band and i love every track on here...but this is a compilation album after all so 4.5 stars it is. It's kind of cool in the liner notes that they get at least one band member's thoughts on each track represented here. It's especially cool to read Ray Adler's thoughts on "Guardian" a song that was released during the John Arch era, so before Ray became part of this band. He says "I think that at one time or another everyone has a song in their life that's very special to them, something that moves you the very first time you hear it. For me that song is "Guardian". After hearing and playing this song too many times to count it still has the same effect on me." Me too Ray. A great cross section of the band's discography is on display here including two tracks that weren't previously released. The first one is "At Fates Fingers" which is a re-worked version of "At Fates Hands" from the "Perfect Symmetry" album. Here they took out the vocal section and added a guitar part left off the original. Amazing tune ! Also "Circles" is new.It's from 1993. They used the bridge section of this on "Outside Looking In" and the other sections except for the chorus on "Shelter Me" but changed the lyrics and sped up the tempo. This isn't as great as "At Fates Fingers" but it's a good tune as well. It's a 5 star album for yours truly but 4.5 stars makes more sense considering.

This is the only live FATES WARNING album they've released so far. This was taken from their 1998 tour of Europe and the recordings took place between April 16-26. If you like to hear the fans on your live albums you'll like this one as they are very passionate about this band. Some excellent pictures in the liner notes as well. This is a two disc affair with disc one being the complete "A Pleasant Shade Of Gray" album and i must say this out-shines the studio version in my opinion. A very impressive display here with Alder, Zonder, Matheos and Vera rounding out the lineup. Disc two features the guys i mentioned plus a second guitarist in former FATES member Bernie Versailles and also keyboardist Jason Keaser.The highlight for me on this disc(and there are many) is Adler singing on "Prelude To Ruin" that Arch sang on originally. Man Ray just blows me away here with his higher pitched voice as he screams away. So many great tracks though on this second disc. This is a must for FATES WARNING fans wihout a doubt.

GORDIAN KNOT's second record continues where the first one left off with those contrasts of that heavy style versus the atmospheric passages. I do prefer the debut when we're talking about those laid back sections because of the intricate sounds from the Sick, Warr guitar and Chapman Stick. The heavier sections i feel rock harder on "Emergent" and man i'm so impressed as usual with Jim Matheos who guests on here but also Steve Hackett who lets it rip on the guitar like i've never heard him do before. Bill Bruford is incredible as well which is no surprise of course. We also get CYNIC members Sean Reinert, Paul Masvidal and Jason Gobel helping out. I appreciate the detailed info in the liner notes as it tells us who solos and when on each track. Both GORDIAN KNOT albums are essential in my opinion. Complex, atmospheric and heavy instrumental music played at the highest level.

"FWX" stands of course for FATES WARNING's tenth album. You can see the faint "X" in the field on the album cover as the old couple sits on their lawn chairs watching the tornado. A very cool album cover. Sadly this will be Zonder's last album with the band but he leaves on a high note as his playing is especially strong here. The band had just finished a tour with QUEENSRYCHE and DREAM THEATER so i think they went into the studio with a lot of confidence, even to the point of producing this themselves. The songs are more accessible than on the previous record "Disconnected" and for me this record is a step down from that one. Having said that i have to disagree with the majority as far as my rating and opinion goes. I love this album. It sounds incredible and rocks pretty hard. The quality might tail off late in this recording but man it's so amazing early on that i was considering 4.5 stars. I'll stick with 4 stars but would rate this as my fourth favourite FATES record.

Talk about a star-studded cast of musicians ! Man i love this project. Names like Sean Malone and Sean Reinert will bring the legendary CYNIC to mind but we also get Trey Gunn(KING CRIMSON), Glenn Snelwar(AT WAR WITH SELF), Ron Jarzombek(SPASTIC INK, WATCHTOWER) and guest John Myung(DREAM THEATER) on Chapman Stick. Some interesting sounds here with Malone also playing a Stick and Gunn playing his Warr guitar. And while this is complex music we also get lots of melody. Some heavy sections but lots of atmosphere as well. I don't know why but this all-instrumental album just makes me feel good. It's an absolute pleasure to spin this record and i can't recommend this one enough.

This is my favourite FATES WARNING album with "Perfect Symmetry" and "Awaken The Guardian" the runnerups. These three albums are so different from one another it isn't funny. This one deals with the topic of being disconnected. And that can be in society or relationships. So with loneliness being the thread that runs through this record we do get a lot of atmosphere and melancholy. It's fairly dark and at times quite heavy. Kevin Moore is back helping out on keyboards and the final track "Disconnected (Part 2)" reminds me of his song "Space Dye Vest" with his former band DREAM THEATER. Terry Brown co-produced this recording with the band. This is one of my all-time favourite Prog-Metal albums and for me it's a masterpiece.

This was the first GREEN CARNATION album i purchased and at the time i was surprised at how accessible it was knowing the relationship this band originally had with IN THE WOODS... And certainly the album cover made me think this was probably going to be a dark and atmospheric record. Well this is even more mainstream than the previous album "Blessing In Disguise". This is sort of conceptual album about childhood experiences. The pictures of the band members in the liner notes are of when they were children. This is a good rocking album but man i feel that their first two recordings have completely spoiled me for this more straight-forward style of music.

I still remember the first time i heard the opening track of this album, i couldn't believe it was the same band who created "Journey To The End Of The Night" and "Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness". That first track is especially catchy and straight-forward, in fact it's my least favourite song on here. I would soon find out that this album does have it moments but it pales when compared to the previous two recordings. The final track "Rain" is my favourite and maybe that's not so surprising since the lyrics were taken from poems written for the "Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness" sessions. That darkness and edge has been scaled way back and the songs are shorter as well. So a good album for sure but for me it's not worth the 4 stars.

After two fairly commercial sounding albums that didn't bring the band the record sales they thought they would get the band made some major changes. Frank Aresti left but they didn't replace him feeling that one lead guitarist was enough. Then Joe DiBiasi left causing the band to bring in Joey Vera on bass. They also decided to change their style here making a more atmospheric album with less Metal. This is one long suite but divided into twelve sections. There are breaks between songs though and it doesn't always flow that well. Jim Matheos would write all the music and lyrics. Kevin Moore is back guesting on keyboards but this time he plays a more important role. Terry Brown is also back as the producer and Hugh Syme did the cover art once again. In the liner notes they thank Terry "How much grayer could it be ?" Brown showing that they got their desired results of a gray album. And they also thank "Mike Portnoy(an honourary Fates member)". That's pretty cool too. So yeah this is a return to the progressive leanings of "Perfect Symmetry" but this is certainly much different sounding than that one. I'm not as big a fan of this as many seem to be but for sure it's a 4 star album.

While the debut was a very dark and depressing album, this the follow-up at least has lots of light in it. The subject matter is still about Tchort losing his daughter but it's shared through the "joy, inspiration and meaning" that his son has brought into his life. And so the music here is dedicated to his new son. Lots of beautiful pictures in the thick liner notes as well. Tchort refers to this recording as his musical legacy. One long 60 minute piece where Tchort can tell us about his feeling without being interupted. The three IN THE WOODS... members who were on the debut aren't here this time but Tchort does dedicate the lyrics to the Botteri brothers. The album starts with atmosphere and we can hear a child making sounds. Some killer stuff throughout the 60 minutes then the recording ends with the sound of a music box. Fantastic lyrics too. In my opinion this is a masterpiece just like the debut but man it has a completely different mood to it.

Many consider this FATES WARNING's most commercial recording and i certainly agree. In fact i'm surprised this album didn't garner them commercial success. Terry Brown produced it and the RUSH connection continues as Hugh Symes did the art work, plus it was recorded in Toronto. Cool to hear James LaBrie singing background on "Life In Still Water". Yet it's the next four tracks in a row that impress me most. "Eye To Eye" followed by one of my all time fav FATES WARNING songs "The Eleventh Hour" then "Point Of View" and "We Only Say Goodbye". These four tracks would also appear on their greatest hits album. So an excellent album but a little too accessible for my tastes.

First of all i think i'm the only one on the planet who considers this a masterpiece so you can take this review with a grain of salt. I guess my love for the dark and heavy style of music helps with my appreciation of this one, but i'd also say the subject matter brings an important emotional element into it as well. Tchort the leader of this band lost his daughter to a tragic accident prior to this and this recording deals with his sufferings, questions and sorrow. It's like taking a trip into the darkest realm of someone's mind and witnessing their torment. The lyrics are so meaningful but then so is the music. The music to me is very similar to IN THE WOODS..., especially their "Omnio" album. In fact the Botteri brothers and Synne are here from that band and this is the only GREEN CARNATION album that they were a part of. No doubt helping an old friend. Just look at the titles of the songs here. There's no light on this record. Surprisingly the opening instrumental is the most emotional for me. It's called "Falling Into Darkness" and one can't help but think that's how Tchort felt when he heard the awful news. There's so much amazing music on this album though and i highly recommend it despite the depressing nature of it.

FATES WARNING is my favourite Prog-Metal band and what i find very cool with them is that my three favourite FATES WARNING albums are all completely different from one another. "Awaken The Guardian" is heavy and dirty sounding with the unique vocals of John Arch, while this album is more complex and a very influential Prog-Metal album. Zonder makes his first appearance for the band on drums here and Kevin Moore guests on keyboards. "Disconnected" my other top three is more atmospheric and less Metal but i love that record. I'm sure this record along with "Operation Mindcrime" had a big influence on DREAM THEATER. This album will always be special to me as well for leading me into the world of Progressive Rock. I know that's probably a strange statememnt but i bought this guitar magazine because it had a list of the 50 best guitar albums of the eighties in it and for some reason i kept going back to this album and band i'd never heard of. Finally for the first time in my life i went on-line to search out a band which led me from this band to DREAM THEATER then onto Prog bands i'd never heard of and my world changed for the better. Anyway back to this album and i feel Ray's vocals are much better here compared to "No Exit" plus i love that twin lead guitar attack from Matheos and Aresti. And Zonder is lights out and one of my favourite drummers. "Through Different Eyes" and "At Fates Hand" are my two favourite tracks. I remember several years ago driving into the ball park where my son was to play baseball and i had this album cranked. This parent who was high most of the time and into Classic Rock came right over wondering what i was listening to. No he never heard of them(haha) not surprisingly but he loved their sound. Masterpiece number two for this band.

What attracted me to this album was hearing that Fred Marshall was singing on it. He of course sang for ZERO HOUR on their excellent "A Fragile Mind" record. This is a concept album about a soldier who returns home from war with his friend after their entire unit was killed. His friend ends up committing suicide while he drinks heavily to escape from the pain. The story does have a happy ending though as he beats his demons to "live" again. This isn't as heavy as ZERO HOUR but it's still rocks hard and is complex. The best part of the album is the killer cover of IRON MAIDEN's "Powerslave".

John Arch left after "Awaken The Guardian" so enter new vocalist Ray Adler. The music here is still heavy like the previous record but that dirty and grungy sound has been cleaned up. Without question the highlights for me are first of all the track "Silent Cries" a FATES WARNING classic. I especially like the more laid back sections that these guys do so well. The other highlight is the epic 22 minute "The Ivory Gate Of Dreams" which is divided into eight parts. To be more specific it's the "Quietus" section that i love where they once again calm things down. We even get piano on this track. A solid 4 stars and a great start to the Ray Adler era.

Ronnie James Dio is one of my favourite vocalists and this is his debut album under his last name DIO. This was the first project he got involved with after leaving BLACK SABBATH having released two classic albums with them in "Heaven And Hell" and "Mob Rules". He brought with him from SABBATH fellow New Yorker and Italian Vinnie Appice on drums while scooping up his former band-mate from RAINBOW bassist Jimmy Bain. Add guitarist Vivian Campbell and this gem was released in 1983. Ronnie wrote all the lyrics and music and also produced this record. I have to mention the album cover that at first made me smile back in the day when i saw it in the record stores but later it almost haunted me. I used to run on the beach very faithfully and once we got into November it mean't running in complete darkness down there(no artificial lighting at all) other than the moonlight. It was actually really cool and surreal at the same time. And yes i did wipe out many times but usually in the Winter months when i was running on ice and snow. This picture though reminds me of November, especially the sky and often my thoughts would drift to this album cover for some strange reason. I never did see the giant demonic figure shown here and i'm not a priest so yeah it was all in my mind(haha). The music here is great but i'll take the two earlier albums with SABBATH over this one. Love that track "Rainbow In The Dark" which almost seems out of place but it works. Also the title track and "Don't Talk To STrangers" would round out my top three. This would go platinum for the band making it an obvious success for Dio and the boys.

This certainly is the best Arch-era album that FATES WARNING put out and arguably their best period. Man this is one grungy, dirty, dark and heavy album. Love the futuristic cover art too. The key is Arch's vocals though as he puts on a show for the ages. This would be his last album with the band as he would quit after this recording and then try out for the DREAM THEATER vacancy that eventually went to James LaBrie. After not getting that gig John would go into retirement. That is until his solo album from 2003 called "A Twist Of Fate" with FATES WARNING members helping him out along with Mike Portnoy. Back to this 1986 release and i must admit by the time it ends i'm done. It's simply relentless as it punishes the listener into submission. And i love it ! "Guardian" and "Prelude To Ruin" are two of the best prog-Metal songs i've heard. Both were written by Matheos and Arch so maybe it shouldn't be so surprsing that these two put out the album of the year on this site for 2011. Yes the boys are back ! This album is certainly a must for fans of dark and dirty Prog-Metal(haha).

ENIAC REQUIEM were a Prog-Metal band out of Texas who released this lone album back in 1998. This is such a melodic album with lots of background synths creating atmosphere. It's the kind of album i can just drift away with even though we certaibly get plenty of Metal and even some dark sections. The bottom line is that this sounds amazing and i think i do have a bias towards American Prog-Metal for some reason. We get the Stine brothers on keyboards and lead guitar while the singer / guitarist Derek Taylor does a really good job on vocals. He also mixed and mastered this album and did a fine job. The drummer would go on to play in THOUGHT CHAMBER although i'm not a big fan of their lone album. If your into Prog-Metal this really is a must-have in my opinion. It was such a pleasure listening to this today. Easily 4 stars.